Great interview with Bob Eiger on BBC’s The Media Show: Snippets here: “I think if you look at today’s media landscape — whether you are in the UK, or the United States, or many other places in the world — first of all, it starts with content. Content is king. People love to consume stories, Read More
Category: Magazines
ABC’s for magazines show storm may be abating
Here’s a bold prediction: the perfect storm which has engulfed the UK magazine sector is abating. The latest ABC figures show some signs of stability: at a much lower level then before the storm but keeping afloat in the storm is success. Women’s weeklies down slightly That bell weather of the sector, the women’s weekly Read More
10 ways to use interns
We are not using our interns and work experience students enough. There are plenty of them and they often don’t contribute much to the organisations they work for. Here are my top 10 tips for getting interns and those on work experience to contribute: 1 Tell them your approach, your market, your work in words Read More
What makes a great magazine cover?
Excellent cover this week from Country Life. It has all the elements: the image of the cottage; the innuendo in “Somewhere for the weekend”; the announcement that Prince Charles will be a guest editor; chocolate; and love. Plus all that property porn in 61 pages. It should fly off the shelves. Enter our picture-caption competiton Read More
Message from Centaur’s results: diversify because the recession is not over
The message for publishers from Centaur Media’s results today is clear: diversify. Centaur should drop the “media” from its title and put “content” in its place. Centaur’s revenue is up 14% in the half year to December 2012 on the corresponding half year. And its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) is up Read More
Tesco magazine better read than The Sun
Tesco magazine has overcome The Sun as the most read print publication in the UK, according to The Financial Times. This proves three things: Magazines work as a means of communication, despite some dire tales from publishers; Free content is becoming the norm: Tesco magazine is free; and Branded content in the form of contract Read More
Auditing magazines from cover to online
I spent a whole day this week listening to and marking the presentations of students at the University of East London presenting their audits of magazines. We have taught them some of the practices in the professional audit of magazines. How to form a focus group, how to construct a pace and flow chart. A Read More
Berlusconi behind Kate topless pictures?
Here’s a conspiracy. Silvio Berlusconi is behind the revelation of Kate Middleton’s upper half in France and Italy. He owns both magazines carrying the photos, Closer in France and Chi in Italy through Mondadori. He owns the mags His representatives say that the Italian media mogul had nothing to do with it. But as Mandy Read More
Raise a glass of blanc de blanc for Bob Heller
So, farewell Bob Heller, aged 80. Bob made journalism about business, particularly management, into a real “profession”. He was the founder editor of Management Today. A prolific and clear writer. And a recruiter of talent. Among the talent he recruited was Nick Newman, now plying his trade as a great cartoonist and as a satirist. Read More